Impenetrable Wall of Fire
by Keleficent
Summary: Bulma nearly dies in a fire but is saved by the last person she expected.


Bulma calculated the risk of this experiment blowing up in her face was about 3.5%. Not a big deal, she's gone forward with experiments with much higher risk.

Unfortunately, unlikely didn't mean impossible.

She managed to take cover under a table before the chemicals she had been mixing exploded. Flammable liquid spread all over the floor and walls, and it wasn't long before the entire room was engulfed in flames.

She ran towards the exit of the lab only to find an impenetrable wall of fire. She headed for the emergency exit, also covered in fire.

She grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed it into the fire. The thin stream of foam wasn't enough to snuff out the inferno. Certainly not enough to pass through.

Bulma weighed her options. Her only two exits were impassible. There were no windows she could climb out of. There were no materials in the lab that would do anything but make the blaze worse.

She couldn't believe this. After all the dangerous places she's been and the crazy adventures she's survived, she was going to die in a stupid house fire.

She collapsed to the floor and hugged her knees. She knew how horrible it was to burn to death. All she could do was hope the smoke entering her lungs would suffocate her before the fire touched her skin.

She didn't know what was more painful, the endless coughing that tore at her throat or the crushing feeling of being roasted alive. She wished the tears she shed were enough to put out the flames.

As she laid down and curled on the floor, her life flashed before her eyes. The memories of people she cared about stood out the most. Her mind landed on one person in particular.

It didn't make sense. Why was he the person she thought of on the brink of death? Their interactions were nothing but frustrating and unpleasant. And yet, here she was about to die, and her last thoughts were about him.

She heard a crash. The last thing she needed was another explosion. Then again, what did it matter anyway? She was a goner no matter what.

"Woman!"

Not only was Bulma thinking of him, she was hearing his voice too.

"Where are you, woman? Answer me!"

But what memory was this? He yelled at her a lot, but he didn't sound like himself. He sounded…scared.

"BULMA!"

That caught her attention. This couldn't have been a memory because he never called her by her name before.

"Bulma…" He sounded so close.

Strong arms slid under her and she ascended upward. The air cleared and the heat was no longer so oppressive. Was this an angel taking her to heaven?

"How could you be so careless, you stupid wench?"

Wow, this angel was a dick.

"Wake up!"

Bulma looked up. It wasn't an angel holding her. It was…

"Vegeta?"

"Which way to the hospital?"

Bulma's overheated brain was trying to conceive of a reason of why Vegeta, who hated her guts, would be saving her life.

"I said, _which way to the hospital?_ "

"East…it's east." Bulma pointed in the direction. "It's the building with the big red cross on it."

Vegeta took off flying in the direction she indicated. The sudden and quick movement made her lurch into Vegeta's chest causing her to moan in pain. Vegeta's hold tightened around her as though to steady her, and if Bulma didn't know any better, to comfort her.

"Keep your eyes open."

Bulma knew he was right; something she hated to admit. But her eyes burned and itched. And she was tired. She was so tired.

"I told you to open your eyes, dammit!"

"I don't...have to listen to you…you jerk."

"Are you serious? I'm trying to keep you alive!"

"Why?"

Silence. A silence so long, Bulma had to open her eyes in curiosity. Vegeta was taken aback by her question. He was either trying to figure out the answer himself or he already knew the answer and was thinking of a clever retort to conceal the truth.

"I don't have to justify my actions to you."

"You're such a…" Bulma broke into a coughing fit. She was having trouble taking breaths. Maybe the lack of oxygen was making her see things, but Vegeta looked…worried.

"You're sapping your strength by trying to speak, so shut up for once in your life."

Bulma didn't feel like arguing anymore. She'll let Vegeta win this fight.

They landed at the entrance to the hospital and kicked down the door to the hospital. Of course, the prince of all Saiyans had to make a dramatic entrance. "This woman needs medical attention!"

A doctor brought out a gurney and Vegeta laid her down on it. "You're going to have to wait out here, sir."

Vegeta grabbed onto the gurney refusing to let the doctors take her. "I will not."

"Sir, you can't come back with us. We need to operate."

"And I wish to observe."

"Sir, please, we need to act quickly or we could lose her."

"THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE! YOU WILL NOT LET MY WOMAN DIE!" Vegeta's face turned red as Bulma stared up at him in wide-eyed shock. " _This_ woman…you will not let _this_ woman die."

"Vegeta…" Bulma put her hand on his arm. To her surprise, he didn't rebuff her touch. It was hard for her to speak, so bent down so she wouldn't have to raise her voice. "They just want to help me. Let me go. I'll be okay."

Another unfamiliar expression came across Vegeta's face: anguish. "Very well. Do what you must."

He let go of the gurney and Bulma was taken away from him. As everything went dark, Bulma felt a sense of loneliness. She knew Vegeta couldn't be with her, but oddly enough, she wished that he was.

When Bulma opened her eyes again, a bright light was shined into them. Said light came from a flashlight being held by the doctor.

"There you are." The doctor gave Bulma an encouraging smile. "Nurse, make a note: pupil dilation returned to normal."

Bulma tried to say something, but she was muffled by an oxygen mask that was over her mouth. She pulled it off her mouth so she could ask the pressing question on her mind.

"Ms. Briefs, please keep your mask on. Your lungs are still healing." The doctor tried to put it back in place, but Bulma didn't allow it. Not until she got some answers.

"Vegeta…where is he?"

"The man who came in here with you? I'm sorry, Ms. Briefs. We told him he was allowed to see you now. But after we told him you were alright, he left."

Figures. It was probably for the best. Bulma doubted Vegeta had much of a bedside manner. So why did she long for his company?

The doctor put her oxygen mask back in place and instructed her to sleep. Bulma didn't need to be told twice.

Bulma only woke up one time that night to a hand touching her face. She opened her eyes to find the last person she expected to show her such a tender gesture. "Vegeta?"

"Hush, you must rest." Vegeta tried to sound stern, but his usual harshness didn't couldn't come through when he was whispering so softly.

He turned away and flew out the window. Bulma thought he had left. But before she drifted back to sleep, she could have sworn she saw him hovering outside her window.


End file.
